Wine Blog from The International Wine of the Month Club » Kristina Manninghttp://www.winemonthclub.com/blog
A wine blog written by the experts from The International Wine of the Month ClubWed, 25 Feb 2015 01:00:00 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1French Onion Souphttp://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/french-onion-soup/
http://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/french-onion-soup/#commentsTue, 24 Feb 2015 01:00:00 +0000http://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/?p=3239This version of the classic is gorgeously cheesy, not gunky. Slow cooking gives the broth depth of flavor and a silky texture. Due to the silky texture and acidity, try pairing it with a dry white wine, like Château de Fontenille Entre-Deux-Mers 2013 from this month’s Premier Series. Ingredients: 2 lb medium onions, halved lengthwise, then thinly Read More

]]>This version of the classic is gorgeously cheesy, not gunky. Slow cooking gives the broth depth of flavor and a silky texture. Due to the silky texture and acidity, try pairing it with a dry white wine, like Château de Fontenille Entre-Deux-Mers 2013 from this month’s Premier Series.

Discard bay leaves and thyme from soup and divide soup among crocks, then float a croûte in each. Slice enough Gruyère (about 6 ounces total) with cheese plane to cover tops of crocks, allowing ends of cheese to hang over rims of crocks, then sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat until cheese is melted and bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes.

]]>http://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/french-onion-soup/feed/0Three Aphrodisiacal Food & Wine Pairings to Spice Up Valentine’s Dayhttp://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/three-aphrodisiacal-food-wine-pairings-to-spice-up-valentines-day/
http://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/three-aphrodisiacal-food-wine-pairings-to-spice-up-valentines-day/#commentsSat, 07 Feb 2015 01:00:00 +0000http://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/?p=3224The end of next week graces us with (what is supposed to be) the most romantic holiday of the entire year. Hopefully, your night will be spent with a special someone, eating out at a four-star restaurant or cooking a three-course meal fit for the Food Network. But here’s a little tip: the food and wine Read More

]]>The end of next week graces us with (what is supposed to be) the most romantic holiday of the entire year. Hopefully, your night will be spent with a special someone, eating out at a four-star restaurant or cooking a three-course meal fit for the Food Network. But here’s a little tip: the food and wine you choose for your special dinner can play a major role in what happens after you eat. So with a little help from Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, we’ve laid out some food and wine pairings that will ensure your Valentine’s Day is as romantic as the all the commercials promise.

Chili Peppers

Adding chili peppers to your V-Day dinner is an obvious choice if you’re looking to spice things up. Not only will the Capsaicin found in chili peppers speed up your heartbeat and sweaty up your palms after just one bite, but eating chili peppers also releases endorphins, a chemical in your brain that can immediately fuel up your sex life. Now that’s chemical romance.

Perfect wine pairing: Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blancs are typically dry wines with flavors of citrus fruit, melon, fig, and herbs. Sauvignon Blancs can range from dry to semi sweet, and everything in between which can help toward tempering hot and spicy dishes. Though on the dryer side, one of our personal favorites is the Château de Fontenille Entre-Deux-Mers 2013. This Sauvignon Blanc blend is a mélange of scintillating citrus, fig and melon with an underpinning of minerality for the ideal combination of sweet and spicy.

Oysters

Since more than 200 years ago, raw oysters have been declared the pinnacle of all aphrodisiacal foods. Oysters are said to be the first edibles used to increase sexual desire in the second century by the Romans and by legendary lover, Casanova. The compounds found in raw oysters such as zinc, D-aspartic acid and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) help to raise your libido and can also raise the levels of estrogen and testosterone found in your body.

Perfect wine pairing: Viognier

Originally from the Northern Rhône region in France, Viogniers are medium-dry to dry and are lighter flavored wines that usually have flavors of tree fruits, nuttiness, and undertones of spice with peachy aromas. The Château du Trignon Viognier Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc 2013 offers finely honed fruit flavors and subtle complexity that will pair perfectly with raw or cooked oysters.

Chocolate

Everyone loves chocolate. Whether it’s liquid or solid, hot or cold, chocolate always seems to bring us instant joy. This is probably because of the “feel good” chemicals found inside chocolate, namely Serotonin and Phenylethylamine. This inseparable chocolate-happiness connection is far from a recent discovery, as the Aztec emperor, Montezuma, is rumored to have consumed up to 50 goblets of chocolate each day in order to fuel his sexual desires. Sounds like he’s trying to overcompensate for something!

Perfect wine pairing: Shiraz

Slightly softer and more subdued than Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz (aka Syrah) is still full of flavor with bright notes of red and dark berries, peppery undertones, and fine tannins. The Bellingham Ancient Earth Pinotage Shiraz 2013 with a luscious and lively core black cherry and mulberry flavors wrapped in a light patina of oak, it pair perfectly with any chocolaty dessert.

]]>http://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/three-aphrodisiacal-food-wine-pairings-to-spice-up-valentines-day/feed/0Girl Scout Cookies and Wine Pairingshttp://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/girl-scout-cookies-and-wine-pairings/
http://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/girl-scout-cookies-and-wine-pairings/#commentsTue, 03 Feb 2015 01:00:00 +0000http://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/?p=3195If you’re like us, you can’t pass on buying a box (or ten) of Girl Scout Cookies on your way out of the store. While relaxing with one of your wines from your wine club, here are some pairings to help polish off some of those Girl Scout Cookies in the kitchen. Thin Mints Bodegas Read More

]]>If you’re like us, you can’t pass on buying a box (or ten) of Girl Scout Cookies on your way out of the store. While relaxing with one of your wines from your wine club, here are some pairings to help polish off some of those Girl Scout Cookies in the kitchen.

]]>http://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/girl-scout-cookies-and-wine-pairings/feed/0Super Bowl Foods & Winehttp://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/super-bowl-foods-wine-2/
http://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/super-bowl-foods-wine-2/#commentsSun, 01 Feb 2015 01:00:00 +0000http://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/?p=3192The big game is happening this Sunday. Party food is high in calories, so we will all be chucking that diet we all started at the first of the year. Oh boy, I am looking forward to eating party food and drinking my fair share of some tasty wines. Oh yeah, and watching the Patriots and Read More

]]>The big game is happening this Sunday. Party food is high in calories, so we will all be chucking that diet we all started at the first of the year. Oh boy, I am looking forward to eating party food and drinking my fair share of some tasty wines. Oh yeah, and watching the Patriots and Seahawks battle for the title.

Don’t just stick to one type of wine, enjoy your Super Bowl party food with a variety of wines. If your friends are like mine the wine won’t go to waste. Start with a sparkling wine, Viognier, Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc with the veggie tray or chips if you dare.

Work your way through the game with either a Merlot or Zinfandel and then a Cabernet Sauvignon while munching on the chili, burgers, meatballs and pizza.

Just because it is game day don’t forget the chocolate with a port or a sherry to complete a great party night.

Here is an infographic to help you pair up your party foods with your wines for the Big Game Day.

]]>http://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/super-bowl-foods-wine-2/feed/0Porter Brisket Sandwicheshttp://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/porter-brisket-sandwiches/
http://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/porter-brisket-sandwiches/#commentsSat, 31 Jan 2015 01:00:00 +0000http://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/?p=3205Super Bowl XLIX is just around the corner and we cannot wait to see what the Seahawks and the Patriots have in store for us! In anticipation for the big game, we are making Porter Brisket Sandwiches that are cooked to perfection in a slow cooker that is finished off with a creamy horseradish sauce. Makes Read More

]]>Super Bowl XLIX is just around the corner and we cannot wait to see what the Seahawks and the Patriots have in store for us! In anticipation for the big game, we are making Porter Brisket Sandwiches that are cooked to perfection in a slow cooker that is finished off with a creamy horseradish sauce.

Directions

In a skillet over medium heat add the half the oil (1 tbs), half the butter (2 tbs) and onions. Cook until lightly caramelized, about 15 minutes. Remove from pan, set aside.

Liberally salt and pepper the brisket on all sides.

Add the rest of the oil and butter to the onion pan and sear the brisket until browned on all sides. Add to a slow cooker. Top with onions and garlic, then add the beer, un-drained tomatoes, 1/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 cup balsamic.

Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until fork tender. About 30 minutes before done, add 2 tbs of Worcestershire sauce and 2 tbs balsamic.

Remove the brisket, thinly slice.

Drain the onions, transfer to a small bowl.

In a small bowl stir together the sour cream, horseradish, garlic powder and smoked paprika.

]]>http://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/vegetable-soup-basil-pesto/feed/0Christmas Cookie & Wine Pairingshttp://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/christmas-cookie-wine-pairings/
http://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/christmas-cookie-wine-pairings/#commentsFri, 19 Dec 2014 01:00:00 +0000http://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/?p=3097With the holidays in full swing, one thing is for sure – there are going to be holiday themed cookies everywhere! There is also going to be plenty of wine going around so here are a few pointers to help pair your wine with your favorite holiday cookie! Sugar Cookies: Napa Cellars Napa Valley Sauvignon Read More

]]>With the holidays in full swing, one thing is for sure – there are going to be holiday themed cookies everywhere! There is also going to be plenty of wine going around so here are a few pointers to help pair your wine with your favorite holiday cookie!

Snickerdoodles:Magenta Cuvée Supérieure Brut Champagne N.V. – Champagne always goes well with cookies and this one is an easy, smooth-drinking wine that is perfect to help glide those tasty Snickerdoodle cookies right down. It offers up savory scents and flavors of golden apples, apricots, currants and oven baked bread straight from the oven.

]]>http://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/christmas-cookie-wine-pairings/feed/020 DIY Wine Cork Christmas Ornamentshttp://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/20-diy-wine-cork-christmas-ornaments/
http://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/20-diy-wine-cork-christmas-ornaments/#commentsTue, 16 Dec 2014 01:00:00 +0000http://www.winemonthclub.com/blog/?p=3061With the holidays in full swing – we here at The International Wine of the Month Club™ decided to pull out our stash of wine corks (we tend to have quite a few by the end of the year) and make some tree ornaments. With a little imagination, a few supplies, and some help with Read More

]]>With the holidays in full swing – we here at The International Wine of the Month Club™ decided to pull out our stash of wine corks (we tend to have quite a few by the end of the year) and make some tree ornaments. With a little imagination, a few supplies, and some help with some of our kids, we were able to make quite a few fun and unique ornaments!

Here are 21 of favorites that we made as well as some of the ones a couple of kids made:

]]>This Sherried Wild Rice Soup is creamy, filling, and just overall fantastic. Hearty enough to be served by itself, it’s the perfect soup to warm you on those cold winter nights!

Ingredients

1/4 pound bacon, diced

2 russet potatoes (about 1 lb. total)

1 cup wild rice

1 cup diced onion

6 cups fat-skimmed chicken broth

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or dried thyme

1 cup dry sherry

1 cup whipping cream

Salt and pepper

Preparation

1. In a 4- to 5-quart pan over high heat, stir bacon frequently until crisp, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Discard drippings from pan or save for other uses.

2. Meanwhile, scrub and peel potatoes. Cut into 1/2-inch chunks.

3. In same pan, combine potatoes, rice, onion, 4 cups broth, and thyme. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat, cover, and simmer until rice is tender to bite, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

4. Add remaining 2 cups broth, sherry, and whipping cream. Bring to a boil over high heat, mashing any potato chunks against the side of the pan with a spoon. Reduce heat and simmer to blend flavors, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

5. Ladle soup into bowls. Top equally with cooked bacon. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Note: If making up to 1 day ahead, cover soup and bacon separately and chill airtight; to reheat soup, stir occasionally over medium-high heat until steaming.